1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reel for fishing and, more particularly, to a fishing reel which can accurately measure the length of the paid out portion and the length of the wound portion of a fishing line during fishing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, fishing reels have been developed which permit the user to measure the length of a fishing line that is paid out from a spool or wound on the spool. The reels are equipped with a mechanism for displaying the length in digital form. These operations are performed under the control of a microcomputer.
A method of measuring the length of the paid out portion and the length of the wound portion of a fishing line is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 155931/1984, where the rotation of a spool is detected by a sensor which produces a pulse whenever the spool makes one revolution. The produced pulses are counted by a counter and the obtained total count is input to a microcomputer with its arithmetic period so that the data may be arithmetically processed. The obtained result is displayed on a display unit.
Unfortunately, this prior art method has several disadvantages. Specifically, the diameter of the winding of a fishing line on a spool decreases when the line is paid out and increases when it is wound up. Therefore, the length of the line paid out or wound up per revolution of the spool varies with the diameter of the winding. For this reason, if the number of pulses which is obtained from the number of revolutions of the spool per unit length, e.g., 1 m, is measured at it is, it will not be possible to achieve accurate measurement of length of line. Further, if a fishing line having a different diameter is used, the rate at which the diameter of the winding changes when the line is paid out or wound up becomes different. Consequently, it has been impossible to accurately measure the length of the paid out portion and the length of the wound up portion according to the diameter of the line used. Another problem arises when the paid out portion of a fishing line breaks when the submerged fishing tackle is tightly caught on a rock or the like. Under this condition, after the remaining, paid out portion of the line has been wound up, the numerical display presented on the display unit does not indicate zero. When the line is next paid out, the displayed value is the sum of the length of the lost portion and the length of the portion presently paid out. Thus, it is impossible to precisely know the length of the portion paid out. Also, correct display is not possible to attain. Since fishing is always accompanied by breakage of the paid out portion, it is necessary to precisely know the total length of the fishing line wound on a spool.
Where a casting is done using a rod equipped with a casting reel or spinning reel, when a lure, or artificial bait, is cast, the rod is swung downwardly toward a desired point. At the same time, the spool is made free to rotate, and the lure is thrown into the point. At this time, the distance traveled by the lure is controlled with his thumb. When the lure touches the water, the release of the fishing line is stopped. Under this condition, he waits for the lure to fall to a layer in which fish swim. This is normally known as countdown. After the lure for which a countdown is being effected reaches the layer, e.g., a bottom, the rod is put upright and the spool is rotated to wind up the line. Thus, the lure is moved a certain amount from the reached position, and then it is stopped for a short time. Subsequently, the winding operation and pause are repeated until a fish is sensed. The movement of the lure is caused to imitate the movement of a true bait.
The series of operations of the submerged tackle or the lure during the casting as mentioned above has heretofore usually relied on the angler's sensation. However, when such a layer in which fish swim is an intermediate layer, or when the submerged tackle can easily be tightly caught because of the presence of a rock on the sea floor, the countdown for the lure must be halted on its way. In this case, if the countdown for the lure relies on the angler's sensation, the amount that the lure sinks cannot be correctly known. Especially, if the angler is not experienced in casting, it is almost impossible for him to know the amount of sinking. In addition, it is hardly expected that the tackle is successfully located in a fish swimming layer that is an intermediate layer.
Casting reels for use with rods that are cast with one hand are small in size. Usually, these reels are provided with neither a microcomputer for measuring the length of a fishing line nor a display unit. Even if the method disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57585/1983 is used for a casting reel, and if the length of a line can be measured and displayed, it will be of little use for the casting operation as described above. What the angler can know is only the distance between the shore and the position at which the submerged fishing tackle dips into the water. Especially, in case where a rod is operated and a reel is operated to wind up the line so that the lure may be pulled from its sunk position toward the shore while giving a motion to the lure, if attention is paid to the display unit indicating the length of line, then the angler will not be able to see the movement of the tip of the rod and the fishing line. Further, the movement of the lure becomes unnatural, giving caution to fish.